I now fear older white boys

COUSINS Raza Ali and Raza Shan have been plagued by nightmares since they were set upon by the gang of racist thugs. The young boys, both from Oldham, were playing football in their school playground with another pal, Addil Nabil, when they were chased to a nearby reservoir.

COUSINS Raza Ali and Raza Shan have been plagued by nightmares since they were set upon by the gang of racist thugs.

The young boys, both from Oldham, were playing football in their school playground with another pal, Addil Nabil, when they were chased to a nearby reservoir.

They were kicked, punched and beaten about the head with logs in a horrendous attack. The cousins were knocked unconscious and all three boys ended up in hospital.

Raza Ali, 12, is now terrified of white boys while Raza Shan, 15, is scared to play outside. Both boys have changed school since the attack.

The 12-year-old said he often dreams he is being chased by a large gang of men. He added: "In the dream I can never run fast enough. I go through the abuse and the pain again. I fear older white boys now."

His father, Asgher Ali, 40, told the M.E.N. this was the family's first experience of racial violence since they came to Britain from Kashmir in the early 1980s. He says he will never forget the sight of his son and his friends lying bruised and battered in beds at the Royal Oldham Hospital.

Locked up

He said: "My son could have been killed. He suffered black eyes and bruises to his face, his jaw and nose were swollen and his stomach and legs were also bruised. It was terrible to see.

"The boys who did this are nasty individuals and deserve to be locked up. Anyone who can do something like this is a danger to all children, whatever their race."

Raza Shan suffered a broken finger and a deep wound to the head.

He has been so traumatised by the ordeal that he has moved to another school to take his GCSEs and also suffers from nightmares.

Witness statements read out in court revealed how Raza Shan saw his grades slide and was frightened to play outside in the months after the attack.

His mother, Farida Khanum Shan, 38, said: "For a long time my son feared the boys were coming back. Now they have been punished, I hope he will no longer feel scared.

"I am very happy to see those boys were jailed for what they did to my son. The police and courts have served us well."